Being an automotive persona on a TV show is a risky business for your health. A few months after Top Gear’s host, Richard Hammond, almost lost his life in a horrific accident, Jason Plato from Fifth Gear was hurt in an incident during filming for the show. Plato, who also takes part in the British Touring Car Championship as SEAT Sport UK’s driver, was testing a road-going Caparo T1 at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire, UK when the 575Hp supercar burst into flames at an estimated 150mph – 241 km/h. -Continued after the jump
Luckily, Plato managed to come out suffering only minor burns to both hands (the right hand being more badly injured), his face and the back of the neck. Fifth Gear’s host received treatment in the specialist burns unit of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital and he was released the same evening. Despite the serious incident, Plato vowed to race at this weekend’s final BTCC race meeting at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire on Sunday 14th October, which is also his 40th birthday.
Jason Plato said: “We were testing the Caparo T1 for Fifth Gear, and we took it to Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, a private testing facility, which is common practice. There was a slight loss of power, I looked in the mirror and saw some smoke, there was a slight smell of oil and then suddenly there was this intense heat. The car spontaneously erupted into a ball of flame and I was sat in the middle of a fireball. I hit the brakes, brought the car to a stop as quickly as I could and jumped out.
“We found the nearest hospital on our sat nav and Phil Bennett [former BTCC racing driver who was at the test] took me to the local A&E. I would very much like to thank Phil, all the staff at Market Harborough and District Hospital, Kettering General Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital for all the excellent care and treatment they so quickly administered.
“The back of my neck is burnt and so are my face and hands. I obviously couldn’t take my hands off the steering wheel whilst braking and my right hand is more badly burnt than my left. I’ll have to dig deep, but I’m still looking forward to the BTCC finale this weekend. It’s been a hard-fought season and I’ve led the Drivers’ Championship almost unbroken since winning the opening round, so this isn’t going to stop me winning the title on Sunday.”